Dan Soper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | 1977 (age 46–47) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Otago ( BA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Family | Wife (Caroline) and children (Emma, Callum and Katie) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Daniel Soper is a rugby union coach from New Zealand who has been assistant coach at Ulster since 2021.
Born in Alexandra, [3] he played for Otago Sharks, setting a club scoring record of 260 points in 1997, [4] and represented North Otago in the National Provincial Championship. [5] He first came to Northern Ireland in 1998 to play for Banbridge RFC, [3] and had a season in Italy, playing for Petrarca Padova in the 1999–2000 Heineken Cup. Returning to Northern Ireland, he played and coached at Ballynahinch RFC and Banbridge RFC while working as a schoolteacher at Wallace High School, Lisburn, [3] Sullivan Upper School, [5] Ballyclare High School, and Royal Belfast Academical Institution. [3]
In club rugby, he coached Ballynahinch to the "grand slam" of the Ulster Senior Cup, the All-Ireland Cup and the Ulster Senior League in 2009. [5] He became head coach of Banbridge in 2010, and led them to two promotions in the All Ireland League. [6] In schools rugby, he coached future Irish international Darren Cave at Sullivan Upper, [6] and led the RBAI rugby team, featuring future internationals James Hume and Michael Lowry, to three consecutive Ulster Schools' Cup titles between 2015 and 2017. [3] He also coached the Ulster under-18 schools team. [5] He joined Ulster as skills coach ahead of the 2018–19 season, [5] and was promoted to assistant coach, in place of the departing Dwayne Peel, before the 2021–22 season. [7] When McFarland left midway through the 2023–24 season, Soper took charge temporarily until the end of the Six Nations Under 20s Championship, after which Ireland under-20 coach Richie Murphy would take over until the end of the season. [8]
Dan Soper | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | 1977 (age 46–47) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Otago ( BA) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Family | Wife (Caroline) and children (Emma, Callum and Katie) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby league career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby league | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Daniel Soper is a rugby union coach from New Zealand who has been assistant coach at Ulster since 2021.
Born in Alexandra, [3] he played for Otago Sharks, setting a club scoring record of 260 points in 1997, [4] and represented North Otago in the National Provincial Championship. [5] He first came to Northern Ireland in 1998 to play for Banbridge RFC, [3] and had a season in Italy, playing for Petrarca Padova in the 1999–2000 Heineken Cup. Returning to Northern Ireland, he played and coached at Ballynahinch RFC and Banbridge RFC while working as a schoolteacher at Wallace High School, Lisburn, [3] Sullivan Upper School, [5] Ballyclare High School, and Royal Belfast Academical Institution. [3]
In club rugby, he coached Ballynahinch to the "grand slam" of the Ulster Senior Cup, the All-Ireland Cup and the Ulster Senior League in 2009. [5] He became head coach of Banbridge in 2010, and led them to two promotions in the All Ireland League. [6] In schools rugby, he coached future Irish international Darren Cave at Sullivan Upper, [6] and led the RBAI rugby team, featuring future internationals James Hume and Michael Lowry, to three consecutive Ulster Schools' Cup titles between 2015 and 2017. [3] He also coached the Ulster under-18 schools team. [5] He joined Ulster as skills coach ahead of the 2018–19 season, [5] and was promoted to assistant coach, in place of the departing Dwayne Peel, before the 2021–22 season. [7] When McFarland left midway through the 2023–24 season, Soper took charge temporarily until the end of the Six Nations Under 20s Championship, after which Ireland under-20 coach Richie Murphy would take over until the end of the season. [8]